Easter Sunday thoughts

At the end of our Sacrament meetings, if we have extra time, often our Bishop will just call people up to speak, or bear their testimonies. The last speaker today said something at the beginning of his talk about being sorry to who ever was going to have to speak. And I just had that feeling that I was going to have to get up. It was so strange. I just knew that I would. I immediately knew what I was to say. And then the strangest thing happened-the bishop never asked me to get up.
I was relieved, of course, but thought I must have had this thought for a reason. So I am writing my thoughts down. Maybe it was just for the realization - and for the reminder of what a blessing the Atonement is.

My thoughts immediately turned to a talk from Elder Holland , about relying on the Savior, "coming unto Christ." I thought about the Atonement and how it is for everyone. Those that have sinned, and those that have been sinned against. Those that are troubled and full of sorrow from no fault of their own.
I thought about 2 of my favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon.
Mosiah 4:30 & Mosiah 24: 14 & 15
I thought about this quote that I took from my notes, from a meeting in January or February of this year, "pain is unavoidable, suffering is optional"- and how we sometimes carry around our "burdens" and our "pain & suffering" for way longer than we need to like extra baggage. I thought about my own individual pain & hurt that I have had- and how my own feelings & understanding about the atonement have changed over the last 2 years. And I felt so much love, for and from our Savior Jesus Christ.
I then thought about what a blessing this Easter day is, and how for those that have experienced the death of someone that they love and care for recently, how this day must be so different in their minds than in Easters past.
I thought about the music that I love to sing.
I believe in Christ
I know that My Redeemer Lives
He is Risen
I thought about what this picture means to me

and this